Chime



MEV 2s, 1946.

Ticl.

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A RNEY CHIME Filed Dec. 12,- 1944 5 sheets-sheet 2 mvENToR JAMES M.TALBOT f fum ATTO RN EY May 28, '1946'. J. M. TALBOT i 2,401,199

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Patented May 28, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHIME `lames M.Talbot, Staten Island, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1944, Serial No. 567,843

13 Claims.

This invention relates to chimes for a clock, and more particularly tochimes which will tell the hour and the fractional hour each fractionalhour throughout the day, without making an unduly protracted signal.

The customary chime clock strikes the quarter, the half hour and thethree quarter in each hour, without any designation of the hour,striking the hour only at the even hour. Thus the benet of the quarterhour strike is completely lost, at any time, such for example as themiddle of the night, when the listener does not know the hour. Even withsuch a system, however, the striking of the hour, for example at twelveoclock, becomes unduly protracted and, to be significant, requires thatthe listener count the strokes up to twelve. This is tedious andconfusing, particularly as the hour strokes are customarily all uponthesame note. With such a system, it is very easy to miscount.

In accordance; with this invention, the signincant hours are sounded bycombinations of notes of different tones in sequence. Thus because thereare many possible combinations, the actual number of notes which it isnecessary to strike is greatly reduced. Thus the number of times thesame note must be repeated in sequence can be reducedV to a minimum.Moreover, because it is possible to indicate the hour without undulyprotracting the signal,4 that hour signal may be combined with a signalindicating' the quarter hour, without the signal being as prolonged asthe present striking of the noon hour. Moreover, byproperly choosing thetones employed, every signal may be made varied and harmonious.

I prefer to use combinations ofthe tones f, a, C and f" of the musicalscale, as these notes' are easily distinguishable when used in sequenceor in combination, and the combinations are al1 harmonious. Within thebroad scope of this invention any combinations of these notes may beemployed. I prefer, however, to combine the three lower notes inaccordance with the principles of theA Roman numerals, since that'system is simple and is well known. As a consequence, such a system isIeasy for the average person to learn and easy to interpret in use.

The invention accordingly comprises a device possessing the features,properties and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in thearticle hereinafter described and the scope of the application of whichwill` be indicatedl in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection. with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a notation illustrating the series and combination of notes Iprefer to employ in the new chimes.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing a mechanism embodying theinvention.

Fig.` 3 is a top plan View of the contact drum of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a development of the surface thereof.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a modified form of apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram of the construction of Figs. 6 to 9.

The system of notes I prefer to use gives. a preliminary signal of thequarter hour comprising one stroke of f for the quarter past, twostrokes of f for the half past, and three strokes of the same note forthe three quarterspast the hour.

This quarter hour signal is followed after a pause by the characteristicsignal of the hour which has just passed. The characteristic hoursignal, which would follow the quarter hour signal, would be, for thehour I, a single stroke of the note f, an octave below f. For II oclock,it would be two strokes of this same f. For IIII oclock, it would befour strokes. For V oclock, however, the characteristic signal to followthe quarter hour signal would be a single stroke of the note a. At VIoclock, the hour signal would be a and f. At VII oclock, one stroke of aand two strokes of f. At VIIII oclock, one stroke of a and four strokesof f. Similarly, the characteristic signal for X oclock would be onestroke of C. XII oclock would be one stroke of C, followed by twostrokes of f.

On the even hour there is no stroke to indicate the quarter hour, but asa substitute therefor, in order to make the hour signal significant initself, the same lower notes are struck to signify each hour, as hasbeen previously described, but with each of these notes there issimultaneously struck to so that on the hour, the hour I would berepresented by the simultaneous striking of f and f once. At IIII oclockthis same combination would be struck four times in sequence. At Voclock the signal would constitute a simultaneous striking ofv a. andf'. At VIIII oclock a and f would be struck simultaneously once, andthen f and f would be struck simultaneously four times in succession. AtXII oclock, f and C would be struck once, followed by f and f strucksimultaneously twice in succession.

A mechanism for accomplishing this result is indicated in Figs. 2 4. Thenumeral I0 represents a drum rotated about a shaft I by a mechanism tobe later described. This drum has a plurality of stations around itsperiphery corresponding to the total number of strokes and pauses,during a. twelve hour period, or a total of 232, and the drivingmechanism is constructed to drive this drum at the end of each quarterhour precisely enough stations to give the required number of signalstrokes.

Around the periphery of the drum are placed gong-operating means sodisposed as to strike the several gongs in proper sequence. Where theclock is to be mechanically driven, or Where it is otherwise convenient,this striking Vmechanism may be purely mechanical. Such strikingmechanisms are in themselves well known in the art. In this embodiment,however, I have chosen to employ electrical contacts, as such device issimple and makes it possible to locate the gongs at a point remote fromthe clock itself.

I have shown these contact mechanisms in the simplest manner to avoidundue complexity, but it will be clear that any contacting device may beemployed.

As herein shown, the drum Il) is connected to ground, as shown at G, andopposite its periphery four contact members l5, I6, I1 and I8 arearranged side by side, connected respectively to the operating coils 20,2|, 22 and 23 of gongs sounding the notes f. f, a` and C respectively.

The opposite side of the operating coils is connected to the low voltagesecondary of a. small transformer 25.

The periphery of the drum is divided into 232 stations which aresuccessively presented to the contact members as the drum is revolved.

In alignment with each contact member is a set of pins upon the drum,numbered 26, 21, 28 and 29. These pins are situated at the proper'stations to sound the respective gongs in the following order.

l5 min. after 30 min. after 45 min. after Station No.

Station No.

Contacts The drum is arranged to be moved at the close of each quarterhour, the number of stations required to give the necessary signal. Forexample, since the signal at 6:15 occupies stations 92 to inclusive, thedrum will be moved from a neutral position between stations 9| and 92,past stations 92, 93, 94 and 95, to rest again between stations 95 and96. Hence the operating mechanism is arranged to move it an angle equalto four stations. Similarly at 9:45, nine stations movement will beneeded, but at 10:00 only one will be required.

The driving mechanism for the drum is shown in Fig. 2. In that gure thenumeral 30 represents the clock driving motor, driving gears 3| and 32of the clock train.

The drum I0 is driven by gears 33, 34, 35 and 3B, journalled to theframe. A gear 31 is pivoted on a lever 38 which in turn is pivotedconcentric with gear 3S, so that gears 31 and 36 are at all times inmesh. The gear 31, however, is movable into and out of mesh with motordriven gear 32 by lever 38 acting against a spring 39.

The gear 36 has a plurality of pins 40 in position, as they rotate, toengage the teeth 4| of a ratchet segment 42 pivoted at 43, to move thesegment 42 clockwise one tooth at a time, against the action of a spring44.

The segment 42 has a projecting arm 45 having a point 46 in position toengage a cam 41 driven by gear 3| of the clock mechanism, one revolutionin twelve hours. The contour of this cam is divided into 48 sections,and each section has a diameter such that the segment 42 may fallcounter-clockwise through an angle corresponding. to the number of teethequal to the number of signal stations of the drum 33 required for theparticular quarter hour to which it corresponds. Lever arm 38 is urgedagainst spring 39 byv a V-shape lever 50 pivoted at 5|, having one arm52 in position to engage a pin 53 on lever 38. The other arm. 54 oflever 50 extends into the path of pins 55 on a disc 56 driven by theclock mechanism at one revolution per hour. There are four pins on disc50 so that the arm 54 is raised once each quarter hour. A spring 51 isconnected to urge lever 50l clockwise to move gear 31 into mesh withgear 32. against the action of spring. 39.

A hook lever 60 pivotedY at 6| has one arm 62 carrying a pin 03. inposition to engage the periphery of disc 5.0.v This disc has fourperipheral projectionsV 64 in position to engage pin 63 immediatelybefore the end of each quarter hour to swing lever 60 clockwise. Theother arm 65 of lever 60 has a pin 68 in position to engage the teeth 4|of segment 42, or to pass down beyond the last tooth, as shown in Fig.2. The proportions are such that when pin 53 is engaged by projection64, the pin 55 will rise above the level of, the teeth 4|. The lever arm05 may be arranged to be raised by pins 40 as gear 35 revolves.

With this construction the operation will be clear. Normally the strikemechanism will be quiescent in the position shown in Fig. 2.

As soon, however, as projection |54 raises lever 60 to release ratchet42, the latter will fall counter-clockwise in response to spring 44,until point 46 engages thev surface of cam 41. When the pin 63 haspassed beyond the point 04, lever B0 drops A.

and pin B6 falls in between the teeth 4|, leaving a number of teeth tothe left equal to the number of stations on the drum, which must berotated u for that particular time 0f day. As soon thereafter as pin 55passes up beyond the end of lever 54, it permits lever arm 53, urged byspring 51, to force lever 33 counter-clockwise to bring gears 31 and 32into mesh, and start the drum l0 rotating.

The gears are so proportioned that the drum |0 moves 1/232 of arevolution for each half revolution of the gear 30, and hence for eachtooth of. the segment 42. With this proportion, with each halfrevolution of the gear 35, a new station will be brought into contactposition, and as a result a new note or pair of notes will be sounded,or a pause will result, dependent upon the location of the pins upon thedrum.

As soon as the segment 42 is brought back by pins to the position shownin the drawings, a pin 68 mounted upon they segment engages theunderside of the arm 54 and raises the arm to release lever 38, so thatspring 3S may draw the gear 31k out of mesh withl gear 32 to stop therotation of the drum. The drum then remains stationary until, at the endof the next quarter hour, a new projection 54 again raises the lever 60and a new pin 55 again operates the arm 54.

In accordance with the invention disclosed in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, adisc 90 is mounted for rotationl about a shaft 9|, carrying upon itsface four concentric rows of pins and one row devoid of pins positionedas will be hereinafter described. A contact arm |05 is pivoted at |05adjacent to the disc, and has a head |01 with inclined faces |408,comprising a contact point, whereby as the disc 90V rotates, contactwill be made between the face |08 of the contact arm |05 and the pins.

A cam ||0 is mounted adjacent to the periphery.V of the disc 90, anddriven by a shaft |I|,

is, with pinless circle |00 or with groups bearingl subscripts |0|., |02or |03.

Where the device is intended to produce the particular chimes which havebeen heretofore described, I place lthe contact pins in sets around theperiphery, the sets being 30 degrees apart; in the first set there beingfour pins |0|a, |02a, |0311 and |04a; in the second set three, |02b,|031) and |0413; in the third set two, |030 and |040; and in the fourthset one, |0401. These pins are also arranged in concentric groups,therev being four pins, 5040i, |042), |040 and |0063, in the outercircle; three, illfa, |0317 and |030, in the next inner group; two, limaand 10.2%), in the group next to the center; and one, lla, inthe centergroup. There is a third concentric circle |00 on the cam which is devoidof any pins whatsoever: Thus it will be seen that the |00 row has nocontacts; the |0| has one; the |02 has two; the |03 has three; and the|04 has four.

The cam iiii is so designed that the head. |08 Willbe in alignment withthe |00 row at each even hour, and in alignment with the |0| row ateach.

one-quarter hour, at the |02 row at each halfV hour, and at the |03 rowat each three-quarter hour. Thus as the drum rotates, it will makecontact zero, one, two or three times during the rst third revolution ofthe disc 00.

Mounted adjacent to the disc on the other side is a contact arm |20having a head |2| and pivoted at |22, similar to the arm |05, exceptthat. instead of moving over rows |00, |0|, |02 and |03,

it is adapted to move the head over rows |00, |0|, |02, |03 and |04.

A earn |23 is mounted upon a shaft |24 driven by the clock mechanismwith a step by step niotion one-twelfth revolution just before the endof each hour. Such drives are well known and are here represented byGeneva gears 03 and 94, connecting shaft |24 to a shaft 05 of the clocktrain. This cam |23 engages a pin |25 on contact arm |20 and is sodesigned as to bring the head |2| of arm |20 into alignment with the |00row at the positions corresponding to 1:00, 5:00 and 10:00 oclock uponthe cam; and to move it over to the |0| row at positions correspondingto 2:00, 6:00 and 11:00 oclock upon the cam; to move it to the |072 rowat 3:00, 7:00 and 12:00 oclock; to the |03 row at 4:00 and 8:00 oclock;and to the |04 row at 9 t 00 oclock.

The position of the heads |03 and |2| about the disc is preferably suchthat any point will come into angular alignment with the head |2|,degrees of rotation after it has been in alignment with the head |00.

The contact arrn |20 has upon its rear face a contact point |21, inposition to engage a contact point |20 on a spring arm |20 which iscarried by an insulating member |30 upon the arm |20 previouslydescribed. These contacts |21 and |28 are apart except where head |2|engages a pin |0| to |04.

Refer new to Fig. 7 which shows the reverse side of the disc. Adjacentto the disc upon this side there is mounted an arm |40, pivoted at |4|and carrying three sets of contact arms |42, |43 and |44. Each of thesecontact arms is individually identical with the contact arm |20, and

each has mounted upon its back an auxiliary contact arm |45, |46 and|41, similar to the arm |29 The arms |42, |43 and |44 are rigidlyattached together but insulated from each other and they are spacedapart in such a manner that any one of them may be brought intoalignment with a contact pin |50 which is carried upon this side of thedisc 90.

A cam |5| mounted upon shaft |24 engages a pin |52 upon arm |40, and theperipheral contour of this cam is such that between the hours of 1:00and 4:45 oclock inclusive, the arm |42 will be in alignment with the pin|50, and during the hours of 5:00 to 9:45 oclock inclusive, the arm |43will be in alignment with the pin |50, and during the hours oi 10:00 to12:45 oclock inclusive, the arm |44 will be in alignment with the pin|50.

A contact arm |60 is mounted upon the base and carries a contact |6| inposition to be brought in contact with a contact |62 upon the bracket|63 also carried by the base, these parts being so positioned that arm|05 will engage arm |60 to cause the contacts and |62 to be brought intoengagement with each other whenever the arm is in alignment with the |00line of pins.

A pin |10 is carried by the disc 90 upon its periphery adapted to engagea four-tooth releasing dog |1| carried by the quarter hour sha-ft thisdog being so arranged that as a pin |10 slips oi one tooth of the dog,it permits almost one revolution of the disc 90 until the pin engagesthe next tooth thereof. Thus the disc starts rotating whenever the dogreleases the pin |10 and rotates for about le of a revolution, duringwhich time the signaling takes place. Then during the next fteenminutes, while the shaft is rotating, the pin |10, and with it the disc90, travels about 112 the revolution, until it is again in position tobe released for the next quarter hour.

The numerals |80, |8|, |82 and |83 represent respectively the operatingmechanisms for soundling the f gong, the f gong, the a gong and the Cgong. 'Ihe f gong |80 is connected directly to the contact |08 on arm|05 and to contact |6|; the f gong |8| is connected to the contact arm|42 and |20; the a gong |82 is connected to the contact arm |43; and theC gong |83 is connected to the contact arm |44. The Contacts |45, |46,|41 and |29 are connected in parallel through the contacts |6| and |62to the f gong |00.

A source of power, as for example a small 24 volt transformer, has oneside connected to each of the gongs, and the other side connected toground.

Springs |90, |9| and |92 hold the arms |05, |20 and |40 against theirrespective cams. The disc driving mechanism is as follows: The disc 90is connected by a coil |93 to a pinion |94, loose upon the shaft 9|.This pinion is driven by a gear |95 upon the shaft the ratio being oneto four. This serves to drive the disc 90 around once for each quarterrevolution of the cam ||0, and yet to permit the disc to take itsmovement all at one time when the pin |10 is released by the dog |1|,and substantially to rest during the remaining period. A suitabledampening device |96 is employed to control the rate of revolution ofthe disc when it is released by the dog.

The parts are so positioned and the points |01 to |04 and |50 are soplaced upon the disc that the sequence of notes referred to heretoforewill be performed as the disc rotates. For example, at a quarter aftereight, that is, 8:15 oclock, being one quarter of an hour after 8:00,the cam ||0 will have rotated to bring the arm |05 into registry withthe |0| row, that is, in position to engage point |0|a. Similarly, thecam |5| will have rotated the arm |40 to bring the contact arm |43 intoalignment with pin |50, and cam |23 will have brought arm |20 intoalignment with the |03 row of points. Thus as the drum is released inthe position shown, when the disc has rotated 45 degrees, the rst point|0|a, coming into contact with the arm |05 successively, will strike thef once while the disc moves For the next 30 degrees of rotation no soundwill be made, in order to leave a lspace between the quarter hour strikeand the hour strike. Thereafter the point |50 will come in Contact withthe arm |43 and sound the a, and on 30 degrees further revolution thearm |20 will strike the point |04a, |041), |04c and |04d, and sound thenote f iour times in succession.

When the next even hour is reached, or 9:00 oclock, the cam ||0 willhave moved far enough to let the contact arm |05 fall over into the zerorow, and arm |20 will have moved to the |04 row. Contact will also havebeen made between points |6| and |62 by arm |05. Now when the pin |10 isreleased by dog |1|, and the disc starts to rotate, no signal will besounded until the pin |50 comes into engagement with the head on the arm|43, thereby sounding the note a. At the same time, however, contact ismade between the arm |43 and the arm |46, and this sounds the note fsimultaneously with the note a, because the contacts |6| and |62 areclosed. On further rotation, the points |04a, |041) and |04c will comein contact with head |'2|, each of which will sound the f four times insuccession and simultaneously make Contact with the arm |29 and therebysound the f', because contacts |6| and |62 are still closed.

The actual sounding of the signal requires therefore but W12 of therevolution, and the remaining V12 is thus available for stopping andreleasing the disc.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing'from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

t is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the .invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. A signal system for a clock comprising in combination three signalsof different pitch chosen to represent the letters I, V, X of the Romansystem of numerals, and means adapted to be operated by the clock forsounding said signals, each hour in a sequence corresponding to theRoman numeral for that hour, including means for repeating said hoursignal at the close of each fraction of an hour after the full hour, andanother signal for designating the fractional hour.

2. A signal system lor a clock comprising a signal for designatingfractional hours and a plurality of signals of different pitch fordesignating different hours of the day according to a selected system,and means adapted to be operated by the clock for sounding saidfractional hour signal 4successively a 'number lof times correspondingto the number of elapsed fractional hours after the full hour, 'andmeans also yoperated by said clock for operating said hour signal in asequence corresponding to the hour after the fractional hour signals.

3. A signal system for a clock comprising a signal for designatingfractional hours and a plurality of signals of different pitch fordesignating different hours of the day according to a selected system,and means adapted to be operated by the clock for sounding saidfractional hour signal successively a number of times corresponding tothe number` of elapsed fractional hours after the full hour, and meansalso operated by said clock for operating said hour signal in a sequencecorresponding to the hour after the fractional hour signals, and meansfor operating said fractional hour signal simultaneously with eachstroke of the hour signal at the full hour.

ll. A signal system for a clock comprising in combination a signal fordesignating fractional hours and a plurality of signals of differentpitch for designating the hour according to a selected system, meansactuated by the clock for operating the hour signals according to saidselected system, at the end of each hour and fractional hour of the day,and means for operating the fractional hour signal simultaneously withthe hour signal at the end of each hour, and means t operate thefractional hour system before the hour signal at each other fractionalhour of the day.

5. A signal system for a clock comprising in combination three signalsof different pitch selected to represent I, V, and X of the Roman systemof numerals, means operated by the clock for operating said signals I,V, and X to correspond to the Roman numeral for the hour, at the end ofeach hour, and fractional hour of the day, a fractional hour signal, andmeans for operating said signal with each stroke of the hour signal onthe full hour, and means to operate the fractional hour signal once foreach fractional hour of elapsed time after the full hour, before theactuation of the hour signal at each other fractional hour of the day.

6. A signal system for a clock comprising in combination a plurality ofsignals of diierent pitch, a drum having pins thereon, means for drivingsaid drum through a predetermined angle at the end of each fractionalhour of the day, means actuated by said pins for operating certain cfsaid signals in selected sequence to represent the hour at the end ofeach fractional hour of the day, and a second means actuated by the pinsfor operating another of said signals at the end of each fractional houra number of times corresponding to the number of fractional hours afterthe last full hour, and means for releasing said drum for movement andfor driving said drum at the close of e-ach fractional hour,

'7. A signal system for a clock comprising a plurality of signals ofdifferent pitch, a drum having pins therein, means for driving said drumthrough a fixed angle at the end of each hour, means actuated by saidpins during movement of the drum for operating the said signals in apredetermined sequence to indicate the hour,

8. A signal system for a clock comprising three signals of differentpitch chosen to represent the letters I, V, and X of the Roman system ofnumerals, a drum having pins therein, means for driving said drumthrough a predetermined angle at the end of each hour, a means actuatedby said pins during movement of the drum, for operating `said signals ina sequence corresponding to the 'Roman system of numerals to representthe hour.

9. A signal system for a clock comprising a drum, three signals ofdifferent pitch representing the letters I, V, and X of the Roman systemof numerals and a fourth signal of markedly different pitch forindicating the fractional hours, a drum having pins thereon, means fordriving said drum through a predetermined angle at the close of eachfractional hour, means actuated by said pins during movement of saiddrum for sounding said signals I, V, and X, at the close of eachfractional hour in a sequence corresponding to the Roman numeralsdesignation of the hour, and means operated by said pins for operatingsaid fractional hour signal simultaneously with each stroke of thesignal at the full hour, and for operating it after each fractional houronce for each elapsed fractional hour after the full hour, beforesounding the hour signal.

10. A signal system for a clock comprising a plurality of signals, adrum having pins thereon arranged in sets, each set constructed tooperate one signal, and the pins of the different sets being constructedand arranged to operate the signals in a predetermined sequence, amovement of the drum through a predetermined angle to indicate the hourof the day, and means operated by the clock mechanism for driving thedrum at the close of each hour, and for limiting the movement to theangle required for sounding the signal for the hour in accordance withthe selected system.

l1. A signal system for a clock comprising a drum having pins thereonarranged in sets, a plurality of signals, one signal being constructedto be operated by each set, on movement of the drum through apredetermined angle, means for moving said drum at the close of eachfractional hour including means to limit the drum to the predeterminedangle required` to indicate the hour and fractional hour in accordancewith the preselected system, and means for releasing said drum and formoving same through a xed angle of revolution at the close of eachfractional hour.

12. A signal system for a clock comprising a fractional hour signal anda plurality of signals for indicating the hour by a sequence of notes ofdifferent pitch in accordance with the selected system, a drum having aplurality of pins thereon, a signal actuating device for registry withsaid pins to actuate the fractional hour signal including means to Varythe number of pins with Which said signal adtuating mechanism engages inaccordance with the fractional hours, the second signal actuating deviceposition to engage said pins subsequent to the engagement of said pinsby said rst signal actuating device, said second signal actuating devicebeing constructed and arranged to actuate said hour signals inaccordance with the preselected system to indicate the hour, and meansfor releasing said drum and for moving same through a fixed angle ofrevolution at the close of each fractional hour.

i3. A signal actuating mechanism comprising a disc, means for rotatingsaid disc through a fixed angle at the close of each fractional hour, a,plurality of pins arranged in concentric paths upon said disc, the pinsin said concentric paths being differently arranged, apair of signaloperating mechanisms, each of which is arranged to engage the pins ofany of said concentric paths, means operated by the clock mechanism tomove said signal actuating devices from one path to another at differenthours and fractional hours of the day to vary the number of signal actuations in accordance with the hours of the day, a plurality of signals,one of which is actuated by one of said signal actuating devices forindicating the fractional hours of the clay and one of which is actuatedby the other of said signal actuating devices to indicate the hour ofthe day, and means for actuating other signals in coordination with saidhour indicating devices for indieating the hour in accordance with theselected system.

JAMES M. TALBOT.

